Apple OS X Virus Contest Cancelled

A contest to develop a virus capable of infecting Apple OS X has been cancelled. DVForge.com, makers of a number of accessories for the Apple family, sponsored the competition.

The idea for the contest stems from an announcement by Symantec, which indicated potential threats to the Apple environment, may be on the increase. According to BoostMarketing,

DVForge's chief executive, Jack Campbell, accused some in the antivirus community of taking advantage of virus fears among Mac users. Campbell admitted his personal distaste for such companies but assured the public the contest was not an attempt to garner publicity.

Another reason for ceasing the competition is the fear of legal action from Apple's governing body. It's common knowledge Apple is fiercely protective of their brand and has no qualms with putting potential offenders through a litigious ringer.

The competition was to award the winner $25000, which is nowhere close to the amount needed to defend yourself against Apple's legal team.